Flagstaff



Patented July 28, `1925i.

UNITED S'TA'FIELS 1,547,416 rari-:Nr orties.

ISAAC L. EDWARDS, OF AURORA, ILLINCIS.

FLAGSTAFF Application led May 17, 1923. Serial No. 639,527.

foA all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ISAAC L. EDWARDS, residing at Aurora, Illinois, a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flagstaffs, of which the following is a specification.

The main object of my inventionl is toV provide a construction of flag stafi' which will make it impossible for the flag when blown by the wind to be wrapped or turned around the staff and thus avoid wear andA tear of the flag and assure that when blown by the wind the whole flag will be displayed.

@ther objects are to facilitate the furling4 and unfurling of the flag and to provide a construction which will advantageously enable the display or exhibition of symbols and emblems or other objects having an educational value for the instruction of school children and others and which will inspire or evoke patriotic feelings. My invention consists in whatever is described by or is included within the scope or meaning of the appended claims. v

In the `annexed drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a flag stall' embodying or constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the upper and lower parts thereof.

Briefly described my flag staff comprises a mast or standard which conveniently may be. made of metal pipe` or tubing', one pipe or tube being mounted upon the other, the inner one being stationarily supported as far as rotation is concerned upon a suitable base and the outer one being free to revolve and carry the flag so that when blown in the wind the flag may revolve about with the outer pipe or tubing and thus it will be impossible for the flag to wrap or wind about the staff and it will also blow free so that in the wind the whole flag will be flung to the breeze standing out from the staff.

Referring now in detail to what is shown in the drawing the inner non-rotating tube, 10, is mounted at its lower end upon a metal base plate, 11, as by a screw connection that is mounted upon a post or standard, 12, which may be of wood, concrete or other material of suitable height and the outer rotatable tube, 13, is secured to its lower end as by a screw connection, to a circular flange, 14, between which and the top of the base plate, 11, are anti-friction balls,

15, so that the outer tube, 13, is permitted to revolve with as little friction as possible. Although theweight of the parts may be depended upon to prevent lift of the outer tube with its ballbearing flange, 14, I prefer to provide one or more hookform fingers, 16, attached to the base, 11, and reaching overthe top of the flange, 14, said finger, 16, ireferably being made of two parts fastened together' by a bolt, 17, to permit such vertical adjustment of the finger as may be necessary. Preferably the flange, 14, has a down-turned rim which overlaps the ball race.

Near the upper end of the revolving tube, 13, are mounted oppositely extending horizontal arms, 18, the outer extremity of one being pointed after the fashion of an arrow head andthe outer extremity of the other being fashioned like the tailV of an arrow,

.n result being that a weather vane structure is provided. For connecting thearins, 13, with the revolving shaft, 13, a ring, 20, is secured as by set screws, 21, to the tube, 13, which has diametrically opposite sockets, 22, to receive the ends of the respective arms, 18, which are secured therein by bolts, 23, which also serve to attach the ring, 19, to the arms, the bolts, 23, passing through lugs, 24, at the bottom of the ring, the ring being slotted to straddle the mast so as to allow the latter to extend within the ring and support a ball or globe, 25, which is fixed to the upper end of the stationary inner tube, 10, the ball being concentric with the ring, 19. The ball may be attached to the'inner tube, 10, by a threaded stem, 26, that projects from the bottom of the ball and enters a threaded upper portion of the inner tube, 10.

The flag, 27, is attached at'top and bottom at the union end to the ends of a rope or halyards, 28, which passes over a pulley, 29, mounted on one of the arm sockets, 18, close to the mast and over a pulley, 30, journaled in bearings attached to the outer rotating tube, 13, near the lower end thereof, so that thereby the flag may be readily unfurled and furled and secured either at full mast or half mast, a suitable locking device being provided that may consist of a pin, 32, that passes through aligning holes in bearing, 31, and in the pulley, 30, there being several holes in the pulley, 30, spaced f apart in a circular or angular direction.

F or the purpose of giving convenient access to the upper part of the structure for painting or repairs Without the necessity of usingladders or dismantling the structure I hinge the base plate, 11, to the top of the standard Which top if the standard, 12, be of concrete may be a` metal plate, 33, having a shank, 34, embedded in the concrete, the hinge, 35 being at the edge of the plate, 38, and the base plate, V11, being rigidly held by suitable means in a fixed position when the Structure is in its upright position Which locking means may be a removable bolt or a padlock, 36 passing through eyes in the two plates, 11, and 33. 'Thus the flag staff may be firmly supported in an upright position or lowered when occasion to get access in the parts oli the structure above reach may be necessary.

For'purposes of instruction the ball, 25, may represent a terrestrial globe and the ring, 19, may have the representation oit stars'delineated or formed upon it and the ring being surmounted by the representation of a half moon and the figure of an eagle,

and Veach arm, 18, may form a support as shown for some suggestive or instructive figure, one arm for example supporting the statue of an Americansoldier and the other a statue of an AmericanV Indian. At intervals, for example at mid-height of the staif, a ring, 37, may be secured thereto having` sockets, 38, Jfor the attachment of a support on the order of arms, 18,1501' supporting objects of interest ,upon the rotatl ing member of the staff.

The bearing, 31, for the lower pulley, 32, may be a part oi a ring, 39, secured by a set screw, l0, to the outer tube, 13, and it may have a socket to attach a radial arm or handle, 41 which will be useful in holding the outer tube during the operation of raising and lowering the flag.

Vhat l claim is:

1. A flag stai comprising a mast, means fory supporting the flag at the upper part of the mast, a hinged base at the bottom of the mast on Which it may be swung to and from a Vertical position, said base comprising two members one above the other with interposed anti-friction means, the lower member beingthe hinged one, and the mast being carried by androtatable'with the uppermember, and means securing such base With the mast in a `vertical position.

2. A flag stati" comprising concentric Vertical sliafts, a base to which the inner shaft is attached at its lower end, a bearing flange at the loire-r end of the outer shaft supported'to rotate upon said basefa pulley mounted at the top ofthe outer shaft, a pulley mounted at the bottom off the outer shaft, a rope passing over .said pulleys, a flag attached to a run of said rope between` the pulleys, and hooks attached to the base and reachingv over the top of said flange.

In testimony whereof I hereunto atlix my signature. i

ISAAQ L. EDWARDS. 

